Additive manufacturing of bipolar plates for hydrogen production in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells

Water electrolysis is a process that can produce hydrogen in a clean way when renewable energy sources are used. This allows managing large renewable surpluses and transferring this energy to other sectors, such as industry or transport. Among the electrolytic technologies to produce hydrogen, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis is a promising alternative. One of the main components of PEM electrolysis cells are the bipolar plates, which are machined with a series of flow distribution channels, largely responsible for their performance and durability. In this work, AISI 316L stainless steel bipolar plates have been built by additive manufacturing (AM), using laser powder bed fusion (PBF-L) technology. These bipolar plates were subjected to ex-situ corrosion tests and assembled in an electrolysis cell to evaluate the polarization curve. Furthermore, the obtained results were compared with bipolar plates manufactured by conventional machining processes (MEC). The obtained experimental results are very similar for both manufacturing methods. This demonstrates the viability of the PBF-L technology to produce metal bipolar plates for PEM electrolyzers and opens the possibilities to design new and more complex flow distribution channels and to test these designs in initial phases before scaling them to larger surfaces.     

A numerical model to predict the powder–binder separation during micro-powder injection molding

The micro-powder injection molding (micro-PIM) process has the potential to bridge the gap between the design and manufacturing of micro-components that are often used in small and handy devices. Numerical modeling helps to analyze and overcome various difficulties of micro-PIM. In the present work, a numerical model is developed to predict the powder–binder separation (a common defect in PIM and especially severe in micro-PIM) during the injection of an alumina feedstock. A powder–binder separation criterion is proposed dealing with applied injection pressure and friction force between the powder and binder. An indirect comparison of feedstock travel time between two locations is used to validate the model. The predicted segregation from the simulated result is supported by a qualitative experimental measurement. The developed model can be used to optimize injection parameters to get a defect-free product.     

Mg gas infiltration for the fabrication of MgB2 pellets using nanosized and microsized B powders

MgB₂ superconductor pellets were synthesized through Mg gas infiltration method using nanosized- and microsized B powders. There was a marked difference in the superconducting properties of the two samples, particularly in the pinning force and dominant pinning mechanism. The microstructures of the samples were observed using HR-TEM and STEM-HAADF, and the results showed that the primary reason for the difference in the superconducting properties is the distribution of the nanosized second-phase particle MgO. Additionally, a feasible reaction model for the Mg gas infiltration method was established. Compared to the Mg liquid infiltration method, the gas infiltration showed better penetrability ability with a small amount of residual Mg. This study presents a novel synthesis process to fabricate an MgB₂ pellet with superior density and superconducting properties. This method can be used in multiple applications such as superconducting bearings, compact superconductor magnets, and magnetic shielding.     

两种3D打印用雾化Ti-6Al-4V粉末的对比研究

本研究分别利用水冷铜坩埚真空感应熔炼气雾化(VIGA-CC)和等离子旋转电极(PREP)两种技术制备出球形Ti-6Al-4V合金粉末,作者利用SEM、同步辐射CT扫描-三维重建和氩气含量测试等分析手段对不同粒径的Ti-6Al-4V合金粉末的孔洞缺陷和氩气含量、硬度值进行了表征。实验结果表明, VIGA-CC粉末粒度分布宽,细粉收得率较多,粉末粒度分布在40~180 μm之间, PREP粉末的粒度分布较窄,主要集中在110~180 μm之间；金属粉末内部的孔隙率、气体含量和孔尺寸随着粉末粒度的增大而增大,且同一粒径范围内VIGA-CC粉末的气孔概率多于PREP粉末；随着粉末粒径减小,粉末截面组织逐渐细化,其硬度值逐渐升高,整体上VIGA-CC粉末硬度值高于PREP粉末。     

脱硫胶粉在乳化改性沥青中的应用

考察了不同规格胶粉及不同脱硫程度的脱硫胶粉对橡胶改性乳化沥青性能的影响,结果表明,采用100目胶粉即可制备出橡胶改性乳化沥青,但乳化沥青的性能较差;采用活化度为50%左右的100目脱硫胶粉制备乳化沥青时,脱硫胶粉的用量相比于胶粉可大幅提高;在通过外掺100目50%左右活化度的脱硫胶粉(质量分数15%,以沥青计,下同)和质量分数2%的苯乙烯-丁二烯-苯乙烯嵌段共聚物改性的乳化沥青中添加质量分数1%的丁苯胶乳,所制备橡胶改性乳化沥青无筛上剩余物,5 d储存稳定性为2.9%,蒸发残留物的25℃针入度、软化点和5℃延度分别为55 (0.1 mm)、64.5℃和22.5 cm,能够满足乳化改性沥青的技术指标要求。     

超声波辅助插层-剥离法制备煤系高岭土微粉的研究

我国煤系高岭土储量丰富,为满足造纸、纺织等行业个性化的需求,通常要对其进行深加工。以山西朔州煤系高岭土为原料,分别在恒温磁力搅拌和超声波作用下探究了煤系高岭土/二甲基亚砜(DMSO)插层复合物制备的最佳条件,在插层复合物的基础上对煤系高岭土进行超声辅助剥离,制备得到高岭土微粉,并利用XRD、SEM、BET、TG-DSC等方法分析表征样品。正交实验结果表明在磁力搅拌条件下DMSO用量、插层时间以及插层温度均对插层率具有一定的影响,引入超声波有利于高岭土插层率的提升。插层复合物经超声辅助剥离后晶粒厚度明显减小,高岭土片层状结构大体上呈现碎片化,仅保留少部分大的片状结构,其边缘碎化,整体上也出现碎裂的趋势。剥离样品的比表面积和孔径均大幅度增加,为硬质高岭土的剥离和超微细粉体的制备提供了新的思路。     

复合固体推进剂中固体填料的安息角测试与仿真

复合固体推进剂含有固体颗粒较多，离散单元法是一种适合固体推进剂生产过程数值仿真的有效方法，颗粒物料的接触参数是保证离散单元法仿真精度的关键。本文以复合固体推进剂的主要组分铝粉和高氯酸铵固体颗粒为研究对象，通过实验测试获得了相关物料的安息角，利用专业离散元软件EDEM仿真模拟了安息角测试实验过程，建立了物料安息角与接触参数之间的联系。研究表明，滚动摩擦系数和滑动摩擦系数越大，安息角越大，物料流动性越差。对比仿真与实验结果，通过逆向反推法确定了物料的滑动摩擦系数和滚动摩擦系数两个关键接触参数。铝粉与高氯酸铵1∶2混合颗粒的滑动摩擦系数为0.2，滚动摩擦系数为0.05。为固体推进剂加工生产过程离散元数值仿真提供了关键基础数据。     

可逆感温变色聚丙烯专用料的制备及性能

通过两步法制备可逆感温变色聚丙烯（PP）专用料，首先将乙烯-辛烯共聚物（POE）与可逆感温变色粉于微型双螺杆挤出机中挤出造粒制备色母料，然后将PP与色母料熔融共混挤出制备可逆感温变色PP专用料。探讨了色母料含量对PP专用料感温变色性能、力学性能、热学性能及微观形貌的影响。结果表明，利用POE与PP良好的相容性，实现了可逆感温变色粉在PP基体中均匀的分散，可逆感温变色PP专用料表现出优异的可逆感温变色性能和冲击性能。     

飞灰固结体在沥青混合料中应用研究

通过对新型固结剂固化飞灰生成的固结体研磨成微粉全部或部分替代矿粉作为沥青混合料进行试验探究。试验结果表明,当微粉替代矿粉时,混合料的物理性能、水稳定性及高温稳定性得到了提高,确定了微粉替代矿粉最佳替代率。微粉在沥青混合料中重金属的存在状态采用多级提取的方法进行分析,试验结果进一步证明了微粉中重金属在沥青混合料中的长期稳定性。为焚烧垃圾飞灰固化稳定化和资源化利用提供了一定的理论指导。